What does Islam say about Drugs?

Why are drugs, intoxicants so, awful, foul and vile in Islam?

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) has described drugs together with all sorts of intoxicants as:

1. The key to all evils.

2. The head of all errors and lapses.

3. The most terrible of major sins.

4. The mother of all atrocities.

5. The mother of all evils.

Let us look at what the scholars have said regarding the effects of drugs:

Ibn Hajar Al-Makki narrates from some scholars that they are 120 harmful things occur by the consumption of drugs Not 10, not 20, but 120.

Also Ibn Sina said that large amounts of it dries up semen (The fluid that carries sperm thus rendering him incapable of passion in sexual intercourse).

Ibn-ul-Bitaar says: A group of people used it (drugs) and they became mentally deranged (insane).

Imaam Zarakhshee narrates in his book upon the prohibition of Hashish (Cocaine) from Zakariyah Razee, a famous doctor, that consuming hashish causes headaches, desiccates semen, brings about confusion, Neurosis, dries up all body fluids which could cause sudden death. Also it defects the mind, induces hectic fever, and tuberculosis.

Ibn Taymiyyah (a renowned scholar) says: All the faults, blemishes, bad things in khamr (wine) are present in hashish and more. Because the majority of faults in khamr is sinful, but hashish is both sinful and harmful to the body.

"Khamr" comes from the root word "Khamara" which means "to cover." Thus anything that covers or hinders the mind is prohibited. This includes anything that alters the mind, such as marijuana, heroin, cocaine, Hashish and anything else that affects the mind.

Allah says :

"O You who believe, intoxicants, gambling, and the altars of idols, and the games of chance are abominations of the devil; you shall avoid them , that you may succeed." Qur’an (5:90)

Allah also says:

"They ask you about intoxicants and gambling: say, "In them there is a gross sin, and some benefits for the people, ( alcohol in medicine for example, cocaine in anesthesia and pain medications) But their sinfulness far outweighs their benefit. ........" Qur’an (2:219)

Islam is a religion that respects and protects faith, life, property (ownership) and the mind (intoxicants, among which is drugs). Normally in the brain there is an inhibitory control which tells us not to engage in shameful or wrongful acts. Any suppressant drug will suppress this nerve pathways and take away such restraint. Ability to make a judgement, to protect the body or honor, a quality for humans is taken away under as a result of drugs.

Allah says :

"O you who believe! Approach not prayers, with a mind befogged, until you can understand all that you say." Qur’an (4:43)

Allah also says:

"O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divinations by) arrows, are an abomination of Satan's handiwork: Avoid such (abomination) that you may prosper." Qur’an (5:93)

"Satan's plan is to sow enmity and hatred among you with intoxicants and gambling, and to hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you not then give up." Qur’an (5:93)

No easy solution can be offered to solve the problem of drugs. Forit is a multifactor problem and each aspect should be addressed individually, and seriously, both by the government and by the public. While the total ban on production, import and export is the ideal solution to create a drug free society, by experience it is difficult to achieve unless strict laws are made and enforced on drug producers, traffickers and offenders, a law, that sees distinction between the helpless victim and a powerful drug Lord.

Islam provides us Muslims with such laws to protect our morality and health. While we are trying to do these, we in the mean time should pay more attention to the needs of the victim (the one who takes drugs) by the education of the masses, social workers, law enforcements agencies and the physicians at the same time developing treatment. However this requires motivation and commitment from all of us. It is beyond the dignity of a human being to become dependent on drugs be incapable of serving himself.